Day at Lincoln

Robert and I have had a week off work and although we haven't gone away we have had some great days out. On Wednesday we had a trip to Lincoln a old historical town. The sky was gray and colder than I had thought I foolishly had taken off my vest. After lunch we had a walk round, there was were some lovely old buildings. The photo above of the old half timbered house it was built 1543 directly over the Roman street Via Principalis it is now the tourist shop.

This old building is a tea shop now

This the Norman house date c1170-80 mistakenly known as "AARON" the Jews house. The first floor window was reset and restored.

I loved the old door way the beam above the door would have a few tales to tell.

This is a fragment of wall Newport cottage. It was part of the northern defences of the Colonia. The gate tower Newport arch stands 1.25metres above the ground but originally stood 6 metres. The wall dates from the 4th century when the city defences were strengthened enhancing the city capital more of a status than a defence.

Here a few photo's of Lincoln cathedral from the out side when it was first built and there were no surrounding buildings it must have looked very impressive to the average person living at that time. We are told that there would have been colour everywhere and if you look closely on some of the work inside you can see some of the old colour on the stone.

You can see the Patton on the ceiling in this photo, but I do not know if it is original. I like where the steps are worn with the feet of thousands of people coming to worship.

I hope you can read this It was a beautiful tapestry.

My little garden job

As I mentioned last week I have got myself a little gardening job and this week remembered my camera, saying that on the photo it doesn't make the garden look so bad but when you get to dig it and clear it of weeds its quite back braking.

I hope you can see the before and after. This border was full of buttercups and dandelion's. The photo below was tackled last week, this boarder was full of Chinese lanterns. I still have the far end to clear. You could not see any soil it was so matted with weeds and fallen leaves.

Above and below are areas to be tackled at some stage. I am unable to go for a while as for the next 3 Mondays I have to work. The owner is understanding and told me to come when I can an to buy plants which I think will go in the spaces Iv now created. Dose he really know what he is asking when he said me buy plants, great.

A day felt making

A design with felt

5 times a year I travel down to Oxton to meet like minded people like me interested in flowers in a contemporary way. This weekend we had a tutor who taught us the art of felt making and incorporating it into flower arranging. Her name Pam Fleming-Williams a floral teacher, demonstrate and a national judge.

We took different colours of Merino tops (carded fleece fibres) I chose lime green, yellow and mauve. I put an old towel on the table and a sheet of bubble wrap on the towel. First I took the yellow and in aprox 4inch squares thinly overlapping made a larger square aprrox 20inches, then with the green put the fibres the opposite way. a third layer of yellow a lot thinner and then random pieces of the mauve. We were told to bring silk waste or alpaca if we had any, I took some wool fibers and dotted then thinly over the whole piece. I then covered it with piece of net and sprinkled with water as hot as could handle. worked on some soap then turned it over more water and soap, did this twice more. The idea of the hot water is the hotter the better which will then gel the fibers together (like when you put a wool jumper in a hot wash). Then rinse out the soap with hot water, roll in a towel and leave to dry.

I decided to make a hand tie and made a frame for it. Two rings of cards with four covered wires meeting at the centre to form a handle. Then I cut my newly made felt into strips and wound it round the card finishing it of with a fine purple wire and strips of midelino sticks, this formed a coller for my hand tie bouquet.

I had some tall flowers so used a tall green vase for my second design. After arranging them I again took strips of felt and threaded two midelion sticks. I left the strips wavy and placed them opposite sides of the vase, one high amongst the flowers the second down the side of the vase.

This was one of the teachers designs

My friends Julie and Jacky designs.

Me with my two designs

My friend Cathy, the green flowers were a perfect colour with her choice of felt oranges and browns.

Spring is on the way

In my last blog which seem ages ago I mentioned how the which hazel had come into flower and the smell was wonderful well this is a photo of the tree. The photo was taken in the morning but it is still looks like night, it was so dull and over cast. The weather is warmer and the mornings and evenings are much lighter, even the mornings I get up extra early to go swimming are lighter. Today in the shop I didn't have to wear my scarf and waist coat things can only get better. Spring has come to the shop, tulips, daffodils, hyacinths pussy willow catkins and broom are making lovely bouquets. There seems to be a lot of births since the new year and they have been nearly all boys, it lovely doing baby arrangements. Equally there have been a lot of funerals which can be a lot of work. A lot of people opt for donations not flowers and although not good for business I think its a good idea. Robert and I are having the week of from the 1st of March so this week at work it all go to get ready for mothering Sunday.

Working full time, a good active church life, keeping house, swimming 4 times a week my own garden you would think I had enough to do. But our old neighbour who moved last November got in touch with me to see if I would like to have a go in his new garden where they have moved to. When I say new garden its very old and neglected and over grown, but I could only see what I could do with it so said yes. Its an old rectory and a bit run down but the new owners are restoring it very tastefully. There is to much for me to do and some big trees to saw down so there is a man in the village who help around the ground and other duties. I made a start Monday forgot the camera whats new, and after 5hours could see a difference. I have started with the boarders ether side of the front porch. One side is full of chines lanterns I got two bags full of their roots, the other side border is full of butter cups both have got to come out, a long job. I enjoyed finding plants when I raked away inches of rotting leaves and dead foliage. I'm aching a bit today but felt better after a swim. I hope I can do the job quick enough for the owners once a week may not get the job fast enough.

Valentines day over

Well, glad that's over for another year. Its been a busy time, still the red rose proved to be popular. Its a nightmare deciding what to get in for people to buy for their loved ones. I made arrangements from as little as £12 with mixed bunches from £3.50. My most expensive thing was 50 red roses with teddy and chocolates and a balloon. I took my camera with good intentions of taking lots of photo's but after three the batters went flat, and after replacing them the next day just didn't get time to take any.

We had extra help from Cathy and Joan who are both at collage doing a florist course. As part of their course they have to do so many hours in a florist shop, a real eye opener for them both. I was so glad of their help and they both said they learnt a lot. Cathy has worked for us before and just gets stuck in.

Not everybody wants red, pink was a popular colour and this simple design seemed to pleased a lot of buyers. Its a good design for the forth coming Mothering Sunday at the end of March.I have Broom in this arrangement the smell is wonderful I have a large square glass vase full of it at home with some tulips simple but I love it.

Even though the mornings and evenings are getting lighter I seem to have spent all last week in the dark, up early and home late so with the sun out today I took the dogs for a walk at 9.30 and when I came back thought I would do some gardening and never went back in doors till 1.55. Had a great day did a lot of clearing. The which hazel scent was with me all day now that it wasn't frozen up.

the joy movie

http://www.thejoymovie.com/ click on this to get cheered up on these cold days. Enjoy Vicki

snow on snow

I know for a lot of people snow is common place but here real thick snow like to day is rare. They are saying the worst for 18 years. As it is my day off today I don't mind it but will think twice tomorrow when I try to get to work. I took the dogs out who didn't seam to mind it in fact scampi rolled in it and had one of her mad dash round. She doesn't look so white against the snow so later in the day I gave her a bath, I was going to do it yesterday but the day slipped by.

Scampi having a mad dash round with tom looking amazed at seeing her move so quickly

Scampi now lagging behind.

I saw the tyre tracks in the snow and wondered if it was Robert and as we got near to the farm he was coming through the gate. Tip who recons to be going deaf and loosing her sight was the first to spot him, its selective hearing. Tom was to busy with one of his many sticks (you can see it in the photo) trying to get scampi to Chase him, to notice Robert at first but when he did went running as if he hadn't seen him for a week. I thought he would want to go with him but he was having to much of a good time. Robert had been getting hay from the farm to feed the sheep he looks after for the estate. Its a wonder we get to go anywhere the amount of times the dogs stop to have a sniff.

The big chestnut tree looks very grand covered in snow, the ground beneath is covered in snow drops all out of sight at the moment.

Walking back, Tip is always in front on the way back

The back of the big house looks good in snow

The front of our house, Fallon lives in the tower above the old horse carriage stables, Tip still in the lead stopping to make sure we are all coming.

Back home in the garden. I don't often watch the news on the TV but at lunch time turned it on to see the weather. It seems the snow has caused a major stand still in the whole of the country. Dispite the weather warnings we are not ready or prepaired for adverse weather , no trains, buses, planes, schools are off ,work force hasn't turned up and the lack of road clearing equipment makes you not want to venture out. I should be going to church tonight to my foundation course but I hope its cancelled as I don't trust the roads to be clear. Its not stopped snowing all day and the weather man tells us there is still plenty on the way. Watch this space.